Ganja in Jamaica
 

If you are offended with the title please do not bother to read further. No negative comments please! Going to Beaches Negril - and looking for some ganja to enjoy on the occasional evening since I do not drink at all. I know you are approached all the time but my question is ---how do you know who is safe (1. quality and 2. not an undercover cop) to buy it from??
Also, I agree it would be smarter to buy the ganja and not a joint(other posting) but really dont need a quarter for a week away. Any advice???
This may sound like a dumb question but as a teenager with my family visiting the DR. a family we met, their son was busted at the hotel's disco , at around 1:00 am by an under cover cop. It was bad! They kept him there for a month in jail.

Ask a local who works where you stay. Say "Hey, wheres the ganja" They will surely know and generally undercover sting operations are not dedicated completely to nabbing tourists at resorts.

Bri---Ask the bell-hop (the man who delivers your luggage to your room) I guarentee that within ten minutes he will hook you up... Enjoy

I had the pleasure of touring two Jamaican jails a few years ago, near Halfway Tree and out around Spanish Town Road someplace. One of them had two inches of water running in the hallway... you had to walk by spreading your legs across the hall and stepping along the edge of the concrete molding where the walls joined the floor.

There were a couple of Americans and/or South Americans in there who had been surprised to find that there still are actual penalties in Jamaica for this stuff. I also learned of a case where a prisoner's paperwork was "lost" - with the prisoner - for over six months.

But, what the hell, have a great time!

Ganja is decidedly illegal -- if omnipresent in Jamaica. In a harsh life (see the true comments about island jails above), it's the poor man's Prozac. That said, you'll find higglers (sellers) of ganja everywhere in Negril, especially on the beach. Paas up these opportunities. Better you should privately and rather casually ask 'a likely candidate' elsewhere. You're staying at a Sandals-owned resort -- so staff there will be most probably quite wary, in fear of losing their jobs. A subtle word dropped to a bartender or gardener (ask men, not women) you feel comfortable with --should yield rather good and risk-free results. Remember,too, you're in a tourist area so pricing won't be anything like day-to-day reality on island;i.e., ganja isn't sold in quarters and asking for such will only raise the price. You'll most probably get 'tourist quality', which most probably will also be stronger than you're used to. Ask for BEST quality -- 'jes a likkle bit' /10 pre-rolled spliffs/aka joints -or an ounce and some rolling papers:the Rastafarian-approved animal glue-free 'Lion of Judah' brand rolling papers or every day 'Rizzlas'. Use discretion where you smoke/never carry in a car. Smoking in your room's a no-go. Just take a private beach stroll...Remember that Jamaicans can 'burn herb' rather blatantly because they're Jamaican and on home turf where they sense the runnins -- and the risks -- intuitively. In other words, without being paranoid, use the same discretion you would Stateside...

I would estimate during a weeklong trip in August to Negril, we were asked at least 25 times a day if we wanted any ganja.

By the end of the week, most of them recognized us as not caring to partake and finally stopped asking.

I'd recommend asking bartenders at some of the really small bars as they seemed to be pretty well connected and there was a very casual atmosphere with public consumption going on.

I agree with the other posters though not to risk it. If you're on the beach with some friends you make and a spliff is going around, no problem.

If you buy from an undercover cop, problem.

My opinion and experience...you will be asked right away by everyone...wait until you are at the resort and buy from someone who works there....everyone including the maids will be able to help you with anything you want...I say try the watersports beach fellas first and for about $20 you can get so much you will have to throw some away when you leave..bring something to smoke it with, papers etc and DO NOT DO NOT take any home or the paraphanalia...sounds like common sense but you'd be surprised how dumb people are...the dogs will be waiting at the airport to walk over the luggage (where you can and cannot see) for these flights and you will be watched....I wouldn't ask "how much", just take out a $20 or how much you want to spend and ask how much you can get for that...quality ? you'll see. have fun.

thanks for all the feedback!

Hey guys... We already have our very own Jamaican Marijuana Community Forum www.HIGHisCOOL.ORG

Ganja is everywhere in Jamaica. But you need to be extremely careful about who you ask and how you handle it. Island justice/prisons are very different from here at home.

I'd be too friggin' scared in case it was a cop I asked. Read on another forum that sometimes the dealer will squeal to the cops for money.

Maybe you should take up drinking for the week and forget the ganja :)

Have a great trip, Negril is on my list for next year as well.

You want to deal with someone you 'know'. Whether your driver or an employee at the hotel you befriend or whatever.

You don't want to buy from someone who approaches you.